What To Ask Tattoo Technicians

We receive numerous calls each week from prospective clients who are looking for a technician for Permanent Makeup procedures. Realizing that we were spending a lot of time educating them about what to look for in a qualified technician, we have created this list of FAQ’s.

Permanent Makeup FAQs

What To Ask Tattoo Technicians and What To Look For In A Qualified Technician

There are many different approaches a technician may take in marketing themselves and those in the industry know what is real and what you look out for. Below is my personal recommendation list for you to consider:

1. Training: Where and when did they receive their initial training?

Approved courses are typically a minimum of 100 hours. They are taught by a Board Certified Instructor that includes hands-on training on live models. Students receive a Certificate of Completion that permits them to gain membership into a professional organization. There are two to three-day classes and some of them are observation only with no work performed on live models. These classes require a fee and are designed to give the student a certificate.

2. Certification: Is the technician “certified?”

There are two organizations that support and guide Permanent Makeup Professionals. They are the Society of Permanent Makeup Professionals (SPCP) and the American Academy of Micropigmentation (AAM) that offer a Board Certified exam.

3. Method: What method do they use?

In cosmetic tattooing, the most common method of getting the pigment into the skin is with a state-of-the-art computerized digital machine, a rotary pen, or a traditional tattoo coil machine. Some technicians use the hand-method. All these methods are approved by both the SPCP and the AAM.

4. Fees: What are the fees and what does it include?

Be cautious of low fees. As we all know, we usually get what we pay for, and there are standard rates for performing these procedures. Be sure to ask if the procedure includes a follow-up visit if this is the first appointment. Follow-up procedures are typically scheduled four to six weeks after the initial visit. Touch-up fees are typically billed by the hour or a flat rate and are usually done six months to one year after the follow-up procedure.

5. Insurance: Are they insured?

Technicians completing approved courses may purchase cosmetic tattooing technician insurance from providers that specialize in this type of insurance. Insured technicians are required to keep records for seven years as part of their insurance requirements. If you ever have work performed by another technician, you would need to know what colors were previously used and who manufactured the product. I do not know why any technician would choose to pursue this work without having insurance, for their own benefit and that of the client.

6. Continuing Education: How many hours of continuing education do they receive each year?

Continuing education is a requirement to maintain membership in the two main cosmetic tattooing organizations. They are the Society of Permanent Makeup Professionals (SPCP) and the American Academy of Micropigmentation (AAM). If a technician is not acquiring continuing education, it may be that they are not eligible to join a professional organization because they have not taken an approved course by a Board Certified Instructor, which is also a requirement to obtain liability insurance.